The Shadow Sleuth Chronicles
by Crow's Gamble
Summary: Shortly after Shikamaru's squad failed to bring back Sasuke, a clever jokester has been setting off elaborate pranks in Konohagakure daily. Challenged by his sensei Asuma to uncover the prankster's identity, can Shikamaru succeed when there are unknown enemies on all side, including the appearance of a feisty Sunagakure kunoichi?
1. The Prankster Game I

**Disclaimer: I do not own _Naruto_, nor am I profiting from this fanfiction in any way other than intellectual satisfaction. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 1 **

**The Prankster Game I**

**Monday**

Welcome to the village of Konohagakure, the hidden village of the Land of Fire. It is normally a very peaceful place to live, the sole disruption to this peace being a recently failed coup d'état in which the Third Hokage was assassinated as we were betrayed by our ally, Sunagakure. Whatever. This troublesome experience is now behind us, and now we are back to boring times. Exactly how I like them.

"Hey, Shikamaru!"

Fortunately, we now have a new village leader: Lady Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage. Things are finally starting to revert back to normal. After the Chūnin Exam, I was successfully promoted to the rank of chūnin. It's a drag, but better missions mean more money. The more money I make, the sooner I can retire and not have to do anything.

"Shikamaru!"

The clouds look really nice today…so breezy. They just waft around gently, teasing me with their freedom.

"Dammit, Shikamaru! Stop spacing out!"

"Huh?" I blinked slowly, coming back to earth as I took in my energetic friend, Naruto Uzumaki. "Oh! Hey, Naruto! I've been worried about you!"

"Well…Sasuke's gone and I've come to terms with that," Naruto muttered, "and besides, I've found something to keep me distracted."

"Oh?"

"Hey! Naruto!" I cocked my head as a girl yelled in the distance. Naruto's eyes lit up as he stared at her, though I was more interested in the desecrated Hokage Monument, covered in graffiti once again. I fixed my gaze on Naruto, but he was completely oblivious.

"Sorry Shikamaru! I'm eating lunch with Sakura today!" As he ran off, I rolled my eyes. _What's with guys being completely whipped by girls? _Following Naruto's cue, I made my way to the Yakiniku Q for my midday meal, not at all surprised to find that the rest of my team had already assembled there.

"Shikamaru! What took you?" Ino chided me, turning red as her stomach growled loudly. "We've been waiting on you for the last twenty minutes!"

"You should have started earlier then," I replied as I sat down. Chōji, already stacking his third empty plate and pulling forward a fourth, grinned at Ino.

"I told you he would say that!" He bragged before the aroma of salted beef tongue with Welsh onion overwhelmed him. He sank his face into his plate indiscriminately, easily ignoring the disapproving stares around us. By this point, Ino, Asuma, and I had all learned to ignore it; actually, we even emulated our robust comrade from time to time, having grown rather fond of painlessly abandoning the public etiquette expected at a restaurant. In today's case, however, I felt it prudent to observe the niceties, seeing as it was Asuma's treat. Bowing my head in prayer, I dug in. Asuma had lit a cigarette as he watched the three of us, and I could tell something was bothering him.

"What's up, Asuma-sensei?" I asked him, chewing the beef on one side of my mouth. Chōji looked up with interest, moving on to the next plate as Asuma hesitated.

"Well…no offense Shikamaru, but how could you guys fail to bring Sasuke back?" I felt tension shoot up around us as Ino dropped her fork in shock for a moment. Even Chōji stopped chewing in spite of himself, having been a part of the mission to retrieve the renegade Uchiha. I looked down carefully for a moment, not willing to shirk from my responsibility as squad leader, but also prepared to respond with the same bluntness that Asuma always exhibited.

"I screwed up. Simple as that. I underestimated our opponents and overestimated myself. It won't happen again."

"Sure about that? I'm kind of worried…" Asuma blew a cloud of smoke casually, much to our chagrin. "Whoops! Sorry about that," Asuma flinched as we coughed.

"Anyway, what's your point?" I asked him as I resumed the use of my lungs. Asuma looked thoughtful for a moment. "Shikamaru…you're a chūnin now. You need to act like it."

I scowled. "How exactly am I supposed to act like it? I failed a mission. I'm going to get stronger and smarter so that none of my comrades ever gets that close to death again. That's all I can do…"

"Yes," Asuma had a gleam in his eye, "and you aren't wrong, but I thought I would motivate you some. Shikamaru, do you like games?"

"You know I do," I replied despite knowing it was a rhetorical question. Asuma wasn't an idiot. He leaned forward so that Chōji and Ino were out of earshot, beckoning me to lean in.

"Have you noticed the recent increase in pranks throughout the village over the last few days?" He whispered. I thought back to the Hokage Monument that I had seen earlier, complete with squiggly marks and unnecessary facial features.

"Yeah, what about them?"

"Let's play a game," he smirked. I stared at him.

"Like what? Shōgi? You already know that's pointless. I'd just kick your ass." Asuma leaned back for a minute, recoiling from the brunt of my verbal blow, before he leaned forward again.

"As soon as you are done eating, head to the Mission Assignment Desk in the Ninja Academy to learn more. It will be worth your while." Chōji and Ino yelled out in alarm as Asuma disappeared with a puff of smoke.

Recovering and stuffing his face with more Korean food, Chōji turned to me. "So what was that about?" I shrugged and resumed eating, ignoring Ino's hard stare. Asuma rarely displayed such a secretive attitude, and telling me to head to the Mission Assignment Desk for a mere game? I felt my blood boiling as I smiled through my chopsticks. Perhaps this will be fun.

* * *

"So what's up?" I asked. It hadn't even taken me five minutes to finish eating and dash to the Ninja Academy. I think my sudden enthusiasm surprised Ino and Chōji even more than Asuma's random departure. Asuma and Lady Tsunade both looked taken aback by my preemptive appearance, but pleased nonetheless.

"Shikamaru Nara. Please, have a seat," Lady Tsunade motioned to the chair that had clearly been placed there specifically for my benefit; most ninja were required to stand when receiving missions. I pulled up the chair, waiting as Lady Tsunade shuffled through some papers. Asuma helped her as the other ninja behind the table discussed various missions and potential squad combinations to send.

"I thought you told me there would be a game," I spoke to Asuma accusingly. He exchanged a glance with Lady Tsunade and grinned.

"You bet there is! Feel good, Shikamaru. Lady Tsunade is making a very special exception for you."

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"Shut up for a moment," Lady Tsunade replied, pulling out a scroll. "Normally I don't allow this, but Asuma was very insistent and, well, I lost a bet with him, so I sort of owed him…Asuma, you can go ahead and explain."

"Thank you, ma'am," Asuma replied before turning to me. "It is both a mission and a game," he explained, taking the scroll from the Hokage and unraveling it. My eyes scanned the details of it as Asuma elaborated. "There have been a series of pranks throughout the village as of late. I know who the guilty culprit is, as does the Hokage, but I want you to identify the perpetrator."

"Why do you want me to identify the prankster if you already know who it is?" I asked skeptically.

"You are the newest chūnin of Konohagakure. Rumors of your prowess have been circulating throughout the village ever since the exam ended, and even though Lady Tsunade wasn't around to watch the fight, you are the son of the Jōnin Commander, so naturally she has an interest in your abilities. We know who it is, but we are going to assist the prankster. If you are still able to successfully identity the guilty one, you will have completed the mission."

"It can't be that hard…" I muttered, to which Asuma gave a mischievous grin.

"I'm glad you think so. I'll make it even easier for you. The perpetrator made it to the preliminary round of the most recent Chūnin Exam." My eyes widened. That narrowed down the list considerably.

"What are the conditions of this mission?" I asked, already taken in by this battle of wits Asuma had arranged.

"You must have successfully deduced the culprit for us in seven days. Since today is Monday, you must have an answer for us by 3 pm on Monday. You do not have to capture the prankster; identification is your only mission. You are to accuse one person only, in writing, who was a participant of the previous Chūnin Exam. You can ask anyone any questions you want, but you cannot reveal that you have received this mission. Be careful; you do not want to be working side-by-side with your enemy in this mission."

"Interesting…and you said this would be worth my while?" Asuma chuckled as I sipped from a canteen of water I had brought with me.

"Indeed I did. This mission, "The Prankster Game," has been successfully approved as an A-rank mission." I spit my water everywhere, causing Lady Tsunade and Asuma to jump back.

"But…how?" I coughed, looking up teary-eyed. "An A-rank mission to catch a harmless prankster?"

"How do you know the pranks won't become harmful?" Lady Tsunade sharply asked me.

"Obviously, you wouldn't allow it to continue if you knew they posed any threat to Konohagakure," I replied. "In fact," I stared at my sensei closely, "my guess would be that you instigated the pranks in the first place."

"That's a sharp student you have there," Lady Tsunade sounded impressed as she turned to Asuma.

"Don't I know it," Asuma muttered, "but it does you no good to accuse me, Shikamaru. You have your conditions. Anyone outside these conditions is rendered an invalid influence to this game, even though I can assure you, the prankster is not your only opponent."

"Why are you willing to make this an A-rank mission?" I asked, still confused.

"Shikamaru, you are the pride and joy of your generation," Asuma stated simply with a hint of pride in his voice. "The entire village will be potential enemies to you for the next week. If you can defeat everyone in this game mastered by me, as you've correctly assumed, then you can only ascend from here. Besides, A-rank missions are generally in the best interests of a village or country, and I believe that your growth definitely falls into this category. "

"You do realize that the minimum amount an A-rank mission pays is…"

"150,000 ryō,"Asuma flinched but nodded. "I've done plenty of high-ranked missions, so I have the money to pay off if you successfully succeed."

"If? You mean when." I corrected my sensei with a smirk. "You'll lose this game, just like you lose shōgi."

"I guess we'll see."

* * *

I stepped out of the Ninja Academy with a grin on my face and the mission scroll in hand. I was not particularly obsessed with rank or status, but Asuma had all the cards in this game, meaning that it would be the most fun I could possibly have. I made my way to a shady tree, sitting down cross-legged on the soft soil to think. Closing my eyes and connecting my fingers into a circle, I began reviewing what I already knew.

Firstly, the conditions for this game were absolute. Someone in the previous Chūnin Exam who had at least made it to the preliminary round. Sasuke Uchiha is out, as are the Otogakure ninja of Team Dosu, all three of whom were reported murdered. Odds are, the Sunagakure ninja are long gone, but they cannot be completely eliminated as suspects just yet; Asuma is a sneaky bastard. The Konohagakure squad consisting of Yoroi Akadō, Misumi Tsurugi, and Kabuto Yakushi are probably no good as well; there have been a lot of rumors circulating about them being traitors that I need to confirm later.

What I cannot forget, however, is that the perpetrator is going to be assisted by Asuma. I assume this means there will be help from various jōnin and chūnin, but I have no clue what sort of help. I've got to keep vigilant.

"Shikamaru!"

I've got to stay alert and single out the most likely suspect. Out of everyone I know, who has a reputation for pulling pranks? Who would be most eager to inconvenience others, finding joy and satisfaction in the results?

"Shikamaru!"

That's a no-brainer.

I opened my eyes irritably. "Hey there, Naruto."

* * *

**Author's Note: As usual, I cannot help but keep things canon. I have been dying to tackle the mystery genre for a while now and I figure Shikamaru is the perfect medium, plus my main Naruto fanfiction, Chūnin Exam: Revamped, has already attracted a surprisingly large fan base, so I am hoping to attract more readers. Review, favorite, and follow. The more love I get from readers, the quicker I am to update. **

**Crow**


	2. The Prankster Game II

**Chapter 2 **

**The Prankster Game II**

"You really need to pay more attention," Naruto scolded as he joined me beneath the tree. His company wasn't exactly wanted, but I did not object knowing he couldn't take a hint. Nonetheless, I let loose a deep sigh as my alone time faded to nothingness.

"What do you want, Naruto?" I asked him impatiently as he held his head in his hands with his elbows extended out. He squinted at me curiously.

"You don't gotta be so uptight. I'm just bored and felt like taking a break." The guy with unlimited stamina was 'taking a break?' Absolutely unreal…

"So if you're bored, that must mean that you want something to do?" I asked suddenly struck by inspiration. Naruto nodded and I pulled him closer to me, feeling much as Asuma must have felt when he instigated the Prankster Game during lunch. "Why don't you come with me?" I got up slowly, but Naruto jumped to his feat eagerly.

"All right! What are we gonna do?" He asked, closing the gap between our personal face. I pushed him back.

"Calm down," I finally had my space bubble back. "You…wouldn't happen to know anything about the recent increase in practical jokes, would you?" I was prepared to heavily scrutinize his reaction, but as usual, Naruto was beyond reasonable expectation.

"Of course I know about them!" Naruto's face lit up in dreamy nostalgia as he began ticking off pranks one by one with his fingers. "Hokage Monument was graffitied earlier today, the Ninja Academy was completely filled with balloons yesterday, Pervy Sage woke up covered in frogs, though I don't know if that was a prank or if he is just a weirdo…"

"Pervy Sage?" I raised an eyebrow. Naruto frowned and searched his memory for a proper name.

"Jimbo? Jiro? Oh! Jiraiya!" He grinned, satisfied with himself. My thoughts grew a little more troubled, though my face gave away nothing. Had Asuma enlisted a Sannin? Well, it was an A-ranked mission after all, but I still did not expect S-ranked ninja to be involved…

"Are you that disturbed by the thought of an old man sleeping with a bunch of frogs?" Naruto's voice interrupted my thoughts. "Can't say I blame you…"

"Naruto…I think Master Jiraiya was pranked," I told him. But this particular prank was aimed at someone who would tell very few people of his embarrassment, which means there are only a few people who are privy to this information. This connected Naruto to the pranks in an even more intimate way…though there is also the highly plausible possibility that Naruto was uninvolved and Master Jiraiya told him simply because his big mouth would ensure that other people found out about it pretty quickly. Either way, the crimes fit Naruto's profile and his connection to Master Jiraiya is undeniable, meaning that at the moment, he is my strongest connection to what is happening.

"Naruto, how would you like to investigate the pranks with me?" I asked him.

"That sounds fun! We could be like detectives!" Naruto said excitedly, but his face dropped after a moment. "But…I really need to be training to bring Sasuke back and this is really just fun and games…"

I don't value my ability to talk smoothly to people, but I decided to give it a shot. "But Naruto, intelligence training is definitely crucial for a true ninja, and besides, wouldn't you like to expose the prankster?" I could see my words having some effect on Naruto, so I continued. "Wouldn't you like to be the one cracking down on practical jokers instead of being the one that is cracked down on? Wouldn't you like to show the entire village how mature you've grown as a man? Join me and let's catch the perp!"

"Yeah!" Naruto exclaimed, holding his fist high in the air with a sense of purpose and anticipation. "Let's do it!"

_Sorry, Naruto. You're my most likely suspect in this game, and the fact that Asuma told me that I don't want to be working with my enemy means that this is probably the correct move. _

"So where do we start?" Naruto asked me. I considered the question for a moment.

"The Hokage Monument and Ninja Academy are right beside each other, so we can investigate them later. Right now though, I would like to talk to Master Jiraiya."

"Hmm…oh! Follow me!" Naruto began to march, confident in his destination. I trailed behind him, seeing no reason to doubt that Naruto would not know where to find his master. As the Konoha Hot Springs came into sight, I began to feel apprehensive.

"Naruto, are you sure Master Jiraiya will be here?"

"Positive," Naruto grinned. "There's a reason I call him Pervy Sage." Rather than approaching the guys' side, Naruto headed straight for the girls'.

"Uh…Naruto?"

"Trust me." But even as he said that, Naruto was sneaking slowly and carefully. As he was my guide, I had no choice but to follow him, though as the voices of giggling, naked women floated through the air, I began to think that perhaps this wouldn't be a completely terrible experience.

"Ohhh." Naruto said knowingly. I stared at him questioningly, and he nudged me with his elbow. "Looks like you are a pervert yourself," he chuckled, covering his mouth with his hand. I felt my face burn crimson and I turned away from him.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Where's Master Jiraiya?"

"Where there are naked women, Pervy Sage is not far behind." I found myself stunned by the wisdom of that idiotic statement, and continued to follow Naruto. Using my peripheral vision, I glanced towards the women in the hot springs. As a hint of recognition crossed my eyes, I turned my head and stared.

"Temari?" I whispered somewhat loudly. Indeed, the vicious foreign ninja was lying in the water with nothing but a towel dividing her body from my line of sight. If I had been blushing when Naruto called me a pervert, that was nothing compared to how red I was right now. As I watched her and the steam rose around us, I felt feverish and with one last look at the exquisite beauty, my world went black.

"Shikamaru! Shikamaru! Are you okay?" Naruto's alarmed voice brought me back to life, along with a few light slaps to the face.

"Naruto?" I opened my eyes to see both Naruto and Master Jiraiya standing over me.

"First time peeping on girls, huh?" Master Jiraiya's voice boomed knowledgably. "I should give you some pointers!"

"That's okay," I said quickly, sitting up and looking around. We were now in a forest, well out of the range of the hot springs. "How long was I out?"

"Not long," Naruto said. "Maybe ten minutes? I found Pervy Sage after you passed out. I followed him as he took you to a wide open space."

"I'm well-versed in helping people that pass out in hot springs," Master Jiraiya said. "It happens more often than you would think, though there are usually nose bleeds to deal with too."

_I bet. _Temari's smooth body came back to my mind and I shivered as I tried to expel the image from my mind, to no avail. "Master Jiraiya!" I said loudly, surprising myself as well as both of the ninja I was with.

"Yes?"

"Do you remember anything about the prank that was pulled on you recently?" Master Jiraiya cupped his chin as he thought about it.

"Not much to remember. I was sleeping in my bed at the Konoha Inn. I felt something slimy on my face, which is never pleasant, so I opened my eyes and realized I was covered in frogs."

"So you don't go to sleep with frogs?" Naruto asked, prompting Master Jiraiya to smack him over the head.

"Of course not!" He exclaimed insulted.

"Okay, okay," Naruto wiped away tears of pain.

"How many people have you told about this so far?" I asked him.

"Just Naruto and Tsunade," Master Jiraiya frowned. "So how do you know about it, Shikamaru?" Naruto started laughing nervously and Master Jiraiya fixed his eyes on him. "Of course," he sighed exasperated.

_Well, that clinches it. Naruto or Master Jiraiya, at least one of them is conspiring against me. _I carefully watched the oblivious duo, Naruto now in a headlock from the elderly sage. Naruto fit the prankster's description to a T, but Master Jiraiya probably intended on me realizing that, using Naruto without the poor sap even knowing to spread the rumors of the prank to draw my attention. If Naruto is the prankster, then he will slip up sooner or later under my watchful eye. If he is truly innocent, perhaps I can use him to mislead Asuma…

"Thank you, Master Jiraiya," I got up, now fully recovered from my hot spring excitement. "Naruto, let's go."

"Where we going?" Naruto asked.

"Just follow me," I snapped. "Thank you Master Jiraiya; please let me know if you learn anything new regarding practical jokes in the village."

"All right, don't go peeping on any more girls," Master Jiraiya waved as we departed. Naruto snickered at my expense.

"So why are we leaving?" Naruto asked me.

"What say we go eat some dinner?" Naruto salivated in response.

"Ramen Ichiraku? Your treat?" I nodded, knowing I needed his goodwill (and his chakra) to make my plan work. He cheered and ran ahead of me. Eventually, I caught up with him, waiting impatiently at his favorite restaurant with a pair of chopsticks eagerly twirling between his fingers.

"What took you so long?" He asked me. Without waiting for an answer, he turned to the shop owner Teuchi. "Miso ramen with extra pork! And step on it!"

"You got it, Naruto!" Teuchi exclaimed jovially. "And you, sir?" He asked me.

"I'm good," I said. Teuchi looked disappointed, but retreated to the back to prepare Naruto's noodles.

"Ichiraku, Ichiraku, my one love true," Naruto sang out loud as his foot tapped against the ground. He nearly burst into tears as a large, steaming bowl was placed before him. Digging in, he began pulling it with his chopsticks and sucking it into his mouth vigorously.

"Naruto, you want to catch the prankster, don't you?" I asked him. _Even though I'm done as soon as I've identified the perp. _

"Yef, I fure do." Noodles dripped from Naruto's mouth as he spoke.

"Well, I've got a plan," I smirked. "Before you go to sleep tonight, use Kage Bushin no Jutsu and create as many shadow clones as you can."

"'Ow come?'

"Station your clones throughout the village tonight. Keep them out of sight and have them stay on the lookout for any suspicious activity. The prankster is going to strike again, and when he does, you stand the best chance of identifying who it is."

"Ohhhh! That is really smart!" Naruto finished devouring his dinner, wiping his mouth with his sleeve. Forming the clone seal, he tapped into his chakra. "Kage Bushin no Jutsu!" Teuchi yelled out in alarm as his ramen stand was coated with Naruto's doppelgangers.

"I didn't mean for you to do that now," I sighed exasperated.

"My bad," Naruto grinned sheepishly. "You know what to do guys; get going!" Naruto's clones saluted him and in a flash, all of them had disappeared.

"Now we play the waiting game," I watched the setting sun. "Let me know what happens tomorrow."

"Will do!" Naruto waved as I took off for home, recounting the events of the day. If Asuma has covered his bases, there is no chance of this plan succeeding, but Naruto is my best chance at this point. The perpetrator is someone from the Chūnin Exam preliminary round…I can't help but feel that I am missing something extremely obvious in regards to Asuma's hints. Tomorrow will be Tuesday though…still plenty of time. Let's see what Naruto comes up with.

* * *

**Author's Note: Who could the culprit possibly be? Stay tuned and find out! **

**Crow**


	3. The Prankster Game III

**Chapter 3**

**The Prankster Game III**

**Tuesday**

Time to start a new day…but I really don't feel like getting up. Urg…I wanna go back to sleep. Huh…oh yeah. Don't I have something to do today? Puh…Per…Prankster Game! Alright! Time to get started…in a few hours…zzzzzz…

"Shikamaru! Wake up!"

I wonder if Naruto was able to learn anything. I was doubtful last night, but I saw all those clones. It seems extremely unlikely that he wasn't able to at least witness something of use. Then again, what I consider useful and what Naruto considers useful are on two completely different levels. He might miss something.

"Shikamaru! Listen to your mother!"

I've had this irking feeling since last night that I have overlooked something important. Not just one thing, but several things. What Asuma told me…it's all on the mission scroll he gave me, and I am positive that his use of language is important as well. It always is when it comes to games and riddles. I think I finally figured out what was bugging me so much last night though…there were two things that really stood out to me while he was talking. Firstly, he made no slip-ups and kept everything gender-neutral, meaning that this culprit is not necessarily a boy, like you would expect of a prankster. In addition, he gave a huge hint that narrowed down the potential culprits. "The perpetrator made it to the preliminary round of the most recent Chūnin Exam." I know why he said this; Ino and Chōji become potential enemies, as well as Kiba, Hinata, and Sakura, people who I graduated from the Ninja Academy with. Rock Lee and Tenten are also implemented in this. So many enemies on all sides, but there is only one culprit that will prove the answer I need for this game.

"Wake up dammit!" I gasped as cold water seeped down my chest. As rude an awakening as any I have ever experienced. My father Shikaku stood over me with a dripping bucket dangling on his extended arms.

"Dad?" I gasped, my teeth chattering as I wrapped the wet blanket around me defensively.

"We've been yelling at you to wake up for an hour now!" He berated me, setting the bucket down. "I would assume you've got some mission or duties today, but regardless, you've still got to do your chores. Use this bucket to feed and water the deer." He walked out and I rolled over with a groan. I couldn't help but feel resentful towards my father even though I know it wasn't his fault; I've seen how Mom has chewed him out when he lets me sleep in.

One hour and a few chores later, I was free to pursue my own ventures. After a shower and brunch (I never seemed able to wake up early enough for breakfast), I headed out for Ichiraku, where I was sure Naruto was. Sure enough, there he was enjoying his lunch.

"Shikamaru!" He waved to me. He downed the last of his meal and paid his tab as I reached him.

"Did anything happen last night?" I asked. Naruto frowned thoughtfully.

"That's the strange thing. A huge pit was dug up and filled with shit. A bunch of chūnin fell into it earlier (which was pretty funny). But none of my clones saw the pit being dug up, even though it happened right in front of several stationed ones."

How could this be? I expected the pranks to continue, but I had expected the prankster to find an alternative scene to target, not do it right in front of Naruto's clones. So what could this mean? There were several possibilities. Naruto's clones dug the pit, the prankster could make use of an earth element jutsu, or the pit had been dug way in advance.

I turned to my clueless companion. He is a reformed prankster; in fact, I would say he was the king of pranksters when we were at the Ninja Academy together. It seemed I still had further use for him.

"You're sure your clones didn't see anything?" I asked him.

He nodded confidently. "My clones were moving the entire time, though…there were a few times they fell asleep on the job," he muttered meekly.

Sleep, eh? I'll keep that in mind. But to eliminate one of the possibilities as to how the prank was pulled off… "Naruto, use Kage Bushin no Jutsu again," I commanded him.

"Right now?" Naruto asked surprised.

"Right now." Naruto nodded in compliance. As numerous clones appeared before me, I turned back to the host. "Since last night's clones did not see the pit being dug, there is a chance it was prepared before then. I want your clones to scour the town, searching for anything that seems out of the ordinary."

"Right!" The doppelgangers echoed, disappearing simultaneously.

"What are we gonna do?" Naruto asked me. I hesitated; in my mind, there was still a high chance that Naruto is the culprit. The only reason I have not solidified that assessment is because it sounds far too easy. Still…if he is, I don't want to clue him in to too much…

"Let's just go our separate ways for now and see what we can find. We'll meet at Ichiraku in a few hours and head to the Ninja Academy from there."

"Why the Ninja Academy?" Naruto asked.

"So we can explore the scene of the crime," I air quoted this last part, but the phrase grabbed Naruto's intrigue nonetheless.

"Okay! I'll do my best! See you in a few hours; make sure you don't go peeping on any more girls!" He chuckled as he ran off. I breathed a sigh of relief as I watched his back disappear around the corner.

"Always gotta have the last word, don't you," I muttered. Peeping on women…I was only affected so strongly because it was Temari.

Wait…why is Temari still here in the first place? I had largely ruled out the Sand Siblings as candidates because I had assumed they would have returned to Sunagakure by now. Their role in Konohagakure had ended with the failure of the Sasuke retrieval mission, so why were they still here? Potential pranksters? I've got some questions that need answering. Time to ask around.

As I explored the village, I saw numerous people that I recognized (as well as Naruto's clones darting around). None of them knew anything regarding the Sand Siblings, so my information gathering was fruitless for at least half an hour until I finally decided to talk to Genma Shiranui, the proctor for the final round of the Chūnin Exam.

"Yoroi Akadō, Misumi Tsurugi, and Kabuto Yakushi?" He asked as I began extracting information. "Yeah, they were designated traitors. They defected to Otogakure and are wanted dead or alive." That permanently eliminates those three from the suspect list.

"Have you seen anything suspicious lately?" I asked him.

"You bet I have. I see suspicious stuff so often, it's suspicious when I don't see something suspicious," he cracked.

I rolled my eyes. "I meant more along the lines of practical jokes and tricks."

"Like that pit that snagged a few villagers earlier?" Genma laughed. "That was classic."

"Yes. Like that pit."

"Can't say I have," Genma removed the senbon from his mouth for a moment. "If I see something, I'll let you know."

"One more thing," I stopped him as he began to walk away.

He paused and turned back to me. "What is it?"

"Have you seen any ninja from Sunagakure around here lately?" I asked him. I wasn't expecting any confirmation, but I was pleased when I got it.

"Yeah. I saw Temari heading to speak with the Fifth Hokage earlier today."

"Thanks!" I took off in a dash. I wasn't sure if she would still be at the Ninja Academy, but it looked to be my best shot. To my relief, I got there just as she was beginning to leave. I nearly ran into her and she dropped the scroll she was holding in surprise.

"In a bit of a hurry, aren't you?" She stooped to pick it up. I grew red-faced as I remembered her covered by nothing but a wet, white towel, but I brushed this off.

"Sorry," I apologized. "I wanted to talk to you and I wasn't sure where you would be."

"Well, here I am," she smiled. "So what did you want to talk to me about?"

"Err..." I really hadn't thought this through. Damn women, making guys whipped. Whipped and stupid. "I was wondering why you were still in the village."

"Am I not wanted here?" She huffed. I flinched and raised my hands in apology, but she grinned. "I'm just kidding. I can understand if you still don't entirely trust us, but we're with you guys now."

My interest in Temari had nothing to do with me trusting them or not, but she didn't need to know that. "Well, you saved my ass that last mission…so I trust you. I was just surprised to learn you were still here."

"Well, Sunagakure is still trying to make up for the invasion during the Chūnin Exam, so my brothers, Baki, and I have been designated in charge of negotiations." She looked immensely proud of herself, but I was surprised.

"They leave such an important task to genin?" I asked. Her face dropped and I immediately felt bad. Of course they left it to genin, just as they sent genin to help aid us in retrieving Sasuke. They can no more spare upper level ninja than we can right now. Acquiring money and resources is the top priority for both of us. That is one of the devastating aftereffects of war.

"Well, I would like to become an ambassador for Sunagakure, and since Gaara and Kankurō want to make reparations to you guys as well, we have come together to patch things up," she said. "Plus, we've been told that we have a lot of potential, so as future jōnin, we are taking a more active role than most of our genin counterparts."

I knew that realistically, it was wonderful that things were going so smoothly between our villages, but it also meant I had additional potential pranksters to worry about.

"And negotiations are the only reason you are currently in Konohagakure?" I asked her suspiciously. A mischievous grin came over Temari's face, and I recoiled slightly recognizing the bad implications it held.

"Now why should I answer that?" Temari asked me sweetly. Damn.

"Just curious," I tried to casually reply, but Temari cut me off with a laugh.

"Don't give me that crap. I've been in battle with you and I've been your comrade. Nothing you do is ever simply for curiosity's sake."

"Well, this is," I retorted flinching. "Never mind. It was nice to see you, but I've got a friend waiting on me, so I had better go."

"Well, I'll be around all week," Temari grinned. I turned around so she would not see my composed face break down. All week. Perfect. That doesn't divert my suspicions at all. "Oh, and Shikamaru?"

"Yeah?"

"If you are going to spy on me naked, you might want to make sure you don't say my name so loudly next time," Temari said with a hint of amusement in her voice. "And bring a pillow. I'd hate to think you're going to get a concussion every time you pass out from peeping on me."

* * *

**Author's Note: For those who have been wondering, yes, there will be some romance between Shikamaru and Temari. I don't care if it's "played-out" or "unoriginal." They make up my favorite potential pairing in Naruto, plus the affiliation they have with one another is canon which is good for the purposes of my story. With that said, keep in mind that romance is not the priority in this fanfiction. Drop me some love for this, hopefully check out some of my other fanfictions, and send me a message if you have any questions or comments that I should respond to. **

**Crow**


	4. The Prankster Game IV

**Chapter 4**

**The Prankster Game IV**

Great. The Sand Siblings are in on this mission too. The likelihood of any of them being a culprit is still incredibly low in my mind, but that possibility has nonetheless reopened itself. I've got some good information, but it still comes as a blow to me when it would be so much easier just to suspect Naruto. Then again, I suppose it's pretty troublesome to bother with a game that is that easy…

I approached Ichiraku Ramen to find it quite empty to my surprise. Naruto wasn't exactly late, but it was a safe assumption that if he had a reason to rush back to his favorite restaurant, he would take it. So where was he?

Not at all in a hurry, I walked to the nearest two trees and created a hammock out of a nearby tarp and four kunai. Laying down, I fixed my eyes on Ichiraku for a few minutes before closing them. Temari knew something, but Naruto was still the most likely suspect. A Sannin was somehow involved too. This enemy list was going to be increasing quickly, but I had to put a dent in it somehow…

"Kankurō, is Temari back yet?" I opened my eyes slowly, recognizing the calm and somewhat cold voice that was nearby. Temari's younger brother Gaara was standing outside Ichiraku. Apparently, Kankurō was munching on his evening meal, much to his brother's disgruntlement.

"Not sure," Kankurō said with his mouth full. "She really is putting in a lot of effort to redeem our village though. Gotta admire her for that."

"I agree," Gaara said. "Well, we took care of those Oto-nin, but failed to recover Sasuke Uchiha. We have a long way to go."

"By the way, did you do what Lady Tsunade asked of you?" Kankurō asked, his voice growing so low that I had to lean in to hear.

"Of course," Gaara said smoothly. "I'm not really sure of her motives, but we received a mission and we're going to complete it."

"Seems like a lot of trouble to go through for one measly chūnin, but I guess the higher ups know what they're doing," Kankurō scratched his chin before looking into his empty ramen bowl with disappointment.

"Time to go," Gaara beckoned his brother. "Let's go find Temari and get to the inn. We aren't supposed to draw attention to ourselves."

Kankurō nodded and after paying Teuchi for his meal, retrieved his immobile puppet Karasu from the ground, protectively wrapped like a mummified corpse, before following Gaara to their resting place. Cautiously, I climbed out of my hammock and began looking around Ichiraku.

"Wonder if they left anything that might be useful to me," I muttered as I carefully scrutinized the area. Unfortunately, before I could get too far into my search, Teuchi swooped down on me like a falcon.

"What do you think you're doing?" He exclaimed with more than a hint of irritation in his voice. "Unless you plan on buying something, beat it!"

I scowled, but in retrospect, I probably deserved that considering Ichiraku had become the unofficial headquarters of my collaboration with Naruto and I had yet to eat a single item on the menu. Looking into my leathery wallet with a pang of regret, I scooped out the necessary ryō and dumped it on the counter.

"I guess I'll take a bowl of tonkotsu ramen," I said with a quick look at the menu. As Teuchi counted the money, the frostiness instantly melted and he bowed with a smile lighting up his face.

"Excellent choice! We'll get right on it!" As he retreated to the back, I carefully resumed my search of the area. It was a fruitless endeavor as Teuchi set my steaming bowl of ramen out several minutes before I concluded there was nothing. I didn't really expect to find anything, but I was disappointed nonetheless.

"Where's Naruto at?" Teuchi asked me curiously as I sipped the buttery broth, playing with a tender piece of pork. It was actually surprisingly delicious.

"I'm not sure. We were supposed to meet about an hour ago, but he's running extremely late."

"You don't think…he found another ramen shop do you?" Teuchi asked me with a sense of urgency in his voice. I almost laughed at the seriousness in his tone.

"Very unlikely. He's probably just taking his duties too seriously."

"Damn straight!" A loud voice caught my attention and I instantly recognized Naruto as he came bounding up to me, looking a little worse for wear, but quite alive. He was covered in minor bruises and scratches, a large slash across his orange jacket and a bloody lip.

"Kid, you look awful!" Teuchi exclaimed horrified. "I know exactly how to make you feel better. One steaming bowl of ramen coming up!"

"You're the best, old man!" Naruto cheered as he collapsed onto a bar stool beside me. I faced him with a raised eyebrow.

"What the hell happened to you?" I asked him.

Naruto faced me breathlessly. "You'll never believe who attacked me when I was on my way to Ichiraku."

"Wait, slow down!" I exclaimed confused. Could this attack have something to do with my mission? I had optimistically believed it was a nonviolent game… "Who was it that attacked you?"

"Temari!" Naruto exclaimed. How troublesome…

"And when you say she attacked you, do you mean she ambushed you or what?" I pressed him for specifics.

He furrowed his brow with a frown. "That's sort of a difficult question. It was more like a challenge than anything, but when I told her I had to go see you, she started provoking me and attacked me anyway. It just sort of escalated from there."

He told her that he had to see me? If I assume that she is involved in a mission with Gaara and Kankurō to throw me off, her fight with Naruto had undoubtedly served a purpose far beyond simply annoying him. What was her goal? To make me waste the precious time I have left? But if all three of the Sand Siblings are involved, there is still only one "prankster" that I can accuse, so what would be the criteria that would differentiate one suspect from another?

Naruto's stomach groaned loudly as Teuchi set a fresh bowl of ramen on the bar. "Thank you for the food!" He exclaimed as he clapped his hands together before digging in. Finding his enthusiasm somewhat infectious, I turned back to my own unfinished meal and fished out the remaining pieces of pork with my chopsticks before I cocked my head back and poured the rest of the broth down my throat.

My eyes dilated as I realized there had still been one chunk of pork left in the soup…and it was now lodged in my throat cutting off my air supply. As I began gasping and thrashing my hands about violently, Naruto and Teuchi stared at me in concern.

"He's choking!" Teuchi exclaimed alarmed.

"I'm on it!" Naruto yelled as he quickly pulled his arms around my stomach and jerked his forearms into it. A reflex was triggered and the meat was expelled from my esophagus in a coughing fit. As I breathed heavily on the ground with Naruto, Teuchi laughed in relief.

"Well, that was a close one! I'm gonna get you some water." I did not respond, but took the paper cup he offered me moments later gratefully. The cool liquid somewhat eased the pain of almost suffocating to death.

"Thanks," I sighed as I took the cup away from my lips. "You have a trashcan?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah! It's right there." Teuchi pointed to a nearby metal container that was stuffed to the brim with garbage. As I took my cup to the trash, something caught my eye. A piece of paper straight from the desk of the Hokage. Dropping my cup into the bin, I carefully scooped the paper out and realized that this was the evidence I had been searching for.

"Let's head over to the Ninja Academy, Naruto," I said.

"Aww," Naruto pouted as he looked at his remaining ramen wistfully. "Just give me a minute." A minute was literally all it took for him to scoop the rest of the noodles into his mouth and finish off the broth. As he licked his lips, Teuchi rounded on us.

"What do you think you're doing? We already had one choking incident; are you trying to incite another?! Out! Out!" We scrambled away from Ichiraku as he began throwing miscellaneous items at us irritably. As the last pair of chopsticks clattered together on the ground, I could have sworn he muttered _"kids"_ before he began closing down his shop.

"Why'd you want to leave so much?" Naruto grumbled as he rubbed his bottom resentfully, having been successfully hit by the angry purveyor on our way out.

If I show Naruto this letter, he will know about the Prankster Game and I will automatically have failed the mission. Damn…

"We wasted too much time already," I explained. It sounded like a flimsy excuse even to me, but Naruto bought it hook, line, and sinker, nodding understandingly. The important thing is that I knew the contents of the letter. The Hokage was specifically requesting Gaara, Temari, and Kankurō for a seven-day mission in Konohagakure, dealing with a certain chūnin with whom they had established a familiar relationship with; a ninja by the name of Shikamaru Nara. How the Hokage intended for them to "deal with me" is the question that irks me the most. Presumably, they were to receive more specific instructions in person.

"Oh! Before we get to the Ninja Academy, I felt that I should tell you that I did not find anything out of the ordinary today," Naruto said. "I searched and examined every nook and cranny, but nothing was unusual." I nodded, having suspected as much. "Except…"

"Except?" I asked impatiently.

"Well, I didn't really think anything of it at the time, but I checked the Ninja Academy during the day just in case the prankster decided to strike again. The pit was still there, and boy did it smell! But I looked really closely, and not only was there shit in the pit…there was also grains of sand. That didn't mean anything to me at first, but now that I know Temari's here, what if all three of the Sand Siblings are here?"

"They are," I responded bitterly. "I saw the other two eating a late lunch or early dinner about an hour before you finally showed up."

Naruto's eyes widened. "So you think…could that mean…?" He didn't need to finish his thought for me to understand the direction his question was going in. It was unthinkable, but it was now a definite possibility. Could Gaara of the Desert qualify as the prankster? Oh, hell.

* * *

**Author's Note: Finally an update! I've put off The Shadow Sleuth Chronicles for several months now and I was feeling sort of guilty about that, especially because I personally feel that if I am able to finish the Prankster Game arc properly, it'll be one of the more interesting fanfictions on my hands. Drop me some love and check out my other fanfictions if you enjoyed! **

**Crow**


	5. The Prankster Game V

**Chapter 5**

**The Prankster Game V**

**Wednesday**

Just as Naruto had said, the pit was a mixture of feces and sand particles…not good. As far as ninja I know with Earth-styled ninjutsu go, Gaara easily takes the cake. And judging by that letter from the Hokage I discovered, the Sand Siblings were undoubtedly involved in the Prankster Game.

The biggest problem this mission has presented is the proper criteria needed to identify a perpetrator. Anyone can be involved or included in this, but there is only one prankster that is acceptable as the correct answer. Knowing Asuma like I do, it isn't going to be as clear cut as one person committing a bunch of harmless pranks. There will be one specific act involved in pranking someone else that will ultimately serve as the identifying factor. To know the mind of a prankster, I should probably ask a former prankster of his opinion.

"Hey, Naruto? What would you say makes someone a prankster?" I asked as we both sat at Ichiraku eating lunch. Teuchi had long forgiven us for the trouble of yesterday and greeted us both enthusiastically when we arrived. I bet he sees me as a potential long-term customer since I actually ordered ramen yesterday, and it probably didn't hurt anything that I caved to Naruto's enthusiasm and bought a bowl today as well.

Naruto didn't even think twice about my question before he offered an eager response. "Someone who can pull a hilarious prank that wins over the acknowledgement of others!"

"Okay," I rolled my eyes exasperated, "but say there are three people. One buys a whoopee cushion, one suggests putting it in the teacher's chair, and one actually does it. Who is the prankster in this case: the instigator, the mastermind, or the one who carried out the deed?"

"The one who carried it out I suppose," Naruto frowned. "I've never really thought about it like that before since I was all three whenever I pulled pranks."

Well, that was a big help…

"Maybe you're looking at it the wrong way though," Naruto said as he slurped up ramen with his chopsticks thoughtfully. "If man #1 has a crossbow pointed at you and man #2 pushes the trigger finger of man #1, who is the murderer?"

"2 obviously," I replied surprised at how simple it became from that perspective. Maybe having Naruto around was an asset after all…

"Well, it's not like it matters," Naruto yawned, stretching his arms over his head lazily. "If there are multiple pranksters, we've just gotta catch them all!" Yeah, we can't all be Pokémon masters, Naruto…Asuma really had his bases covered by forbidding me from telling others about the criteria of the mission. The saddest part about this is there probably isn't anything stopping me; the mere fact that this is a game is enough to make me abide unconditionally by any and all rules…

"So remind me, what was the prank pulled today?" Naruto asked. I shuffled through my notes, not for lack of remembering, but so I could put all three days into perspective.

"Today…someone put cling film over every toilet inside any ladies' restroom owned by public facilities." I groaned, the unpleasantness of such a prank not lost on me. My innocent fantasies of women might never be the same. Naruto, on the other hand, burst into hysterical laughter.

"No way! That's hilarious!" He rolled on the ground, seized by his humor. Teuchi looked at him with some concern for a moment, but as I shrugged, he was reassured and went back to work. I watched Naruto for a moment before I groaned.

"Well, we should probably get started."

"Doing what?" Naruto snorted. "We gonna go check out the girls' bathrooms and see if any accidentally shit on the floor? Your perversions really have no end!"

"Huh? Naruto…that's just messed up," I stood up and began walking away. Naruto chased after me.

"Shikamaru, wait! I was only kidding!" He cried, but I didn't really want to hear it. Naruto might find it funny, but defecation makes my stomach churn, particularly when it's the thought of a girl I know. And of course, because that thought crossed my mind, girls I knew entered my mind despite my attempts to block them out. Ino, Temari, my mom.

"Urg!" I cupped my hands over my mouth and ran for the nearest garbage can, Naruto howling with laughter behind me.

* * *

"I'm sure you heard about the prank involving cling film," I said to the clerk of the local supplies store. A flush immediately entered her face as I said this and I immediately knew she had fallen victim to it.

"Were you the bastard that did that?" She exclaimed angrily. I threw my hands up in surrender.

"You've got it all wrong! We're looking to find the person that did it, and this is the most likely place the perp would have come to purchase the film."

"I see," the clerk said. "Well, ordinarily I wouldn't allow customers access to that kind of information, but I REALLY want this prankster caught, so I'm going to show you what I've got."

"We appreciate it," I said as she retreated to the back to find the list of receipts. Naruto had a smug expression on his face as she left.

"She fell for the prank," he giggled. I scowled.

"Naruto, why don't you go wait outside?" I really didn't need him screwing this up for me. Asuma is doing a fantastic job misleading me. Naruto, the Sand Siblings, and there are several more potential candidates. I can't be taken in by Naruto's mischievous attitude as a reaction to the pranks. As he shrugged and went outside, I realized something ironic; the funnier he finds these pranks, the more sure of his innocence I become.

"Here we are," the clerk said as she set a small pile of papers down. "This is everyone from the last two weeks."

"Thanks," I said as I shuffled through the papers. My eyes widened. What the hell? Literally everyone who had made it to the preliminary round of the Chunin Exam had purchased some, with the conspicuous exceptions of Naruto and the Sand Siblings. How could this be?

"You okay? You look really freaked," the clerk said concernedly. Damn…poker face, poker face.

"I'm fine," I said with a forced smile. "Would it be okay if I made a list of these customers?"

"I suppose," the clerk said suspiciously, "but don't bother anyone about this. If it was just one person that has been causing all of this trouble, I don't want your investigation being traced back here."

"It won't be. I can promise you that," I said confidently as I pulled out my notepad. Aside from the genin who had joined me in the Chunin Exam, other buyers included Lady Tsunade, Anko, my mother, and a few other names I hadn't heard of. Anyone I don't have a personal connection with should be completely irrelevant, but I wrote them down just to be safe.

"Well, thank you very much," I said graciously. "If we catch the perp, I'll be sure to let you know."

"Please do," she said as I left. I expected to find Naruto waiting outside for me, but I was wrong. Temari was waiting for me, her shapely legs resting against the side of the shop. Her face lit up as she saw me.

"There you are! I was waiting for you," she said.

"That's just creepy," I replied. "Where's Naruto? Did you do something to him?"

"Nothing you need to concern yourself with," Temari said with a sweet smile. "I just sent him on his way."

"Uh huh…" Damn. Temari better not try to start any trouble. My hands were casually in my pockets, but I inconspicuously raised them so at a moment's indication of trouble, I could go straight for my shuriken.

"So, after battling me and fighting with me, I was curious as to what you think of me." Temari completely caught me off guard.

"What I think of you? Ah, well…" I stammered.

"See, I was thinking that we should spend the day together tomorrow while I'm in the village," she grinned. This was as clear a trap as I had ever seen. An obvious distraction from a potential enemy. Asuma's words echoed in my mind: _Be careful; you do not want to be working side-by-side with your enemy in this mission. _Still, I've been working with Naruto and that hasn't been entirely unbearable. Temari's far more intelligent, but perhaps I can still learn something by being around her. And besides, I'd be a liar if I said I didn't want to.

"What'd you have in mind?" I asked casually.

"Let's meet at the Ninja Academy around 2," Temari replied. "We can decide where we want to go from there."

"Alrighty, I'll see you there," I said. As a gust breezed over the area she had just been standing, I knew she had performed a Body Flicker and I set off for Ichiraku trying to contain the smile on my face.

* * *

"Shikamaru! Are you okay?" Naruto ran up to me as I sat down beside him. It had been safe assuming this was our meeting point.

"Yeah, what happened to you?" I asked.

"Hinata told me that Sakura was being attacked by ninja near the Third Training Ground, so I took off to save her," Naruto explained. "But when I got there, the real Hinata was training with Kiba and Shino, and I realized that I had been tricked, so I rushed back and found you here."

Henge no Jutsu, eh? So that's what Temari did. Pretty basic, but not bad. Not bad at all.

"Well, I think we're getting closer to the truth, so tomorrow, I'm going to take a day to do my own personal investigation."

"I see," Naruto replied, though he sounded somewhat suspicious by my sudden change of heart. "I guess I'll do the same."

"Cool," I said. Before I go out with Temari, I feel I should try to see what alibis the rest of the genin I know have. Plus, there will surely be another prank tomorrow, so I will need to investigate that. There's gonna be a lot to do.

"By the way," Naruto frowned, "do you know who it was that told me Sakura was in danger?" My thoughts settled back on Temari's sandy blonde hair and I turned away with a smile.

"No idea."

* * *

**Author's Note: I'm excited to wrap this mission up, but there are still quite a few days left. I know Wednesday was short at only one chapter, but the next few days are going to be the highlight of the Prankster Game arc, so I don't want to blow all my ideas at once. I don't think I will end this series with the end of this arc; I'd like to have several more mysteries for our lazy protagonist to solve. Show me love! **

**Crow**


	6. The Prankster Game VI

**Chapter 6**

**The Prankster Game VI**

**Thursday**

Shit. I've never been on a date before…unless you want to count the outings I've had with Ino, which I don't. That girl is far too troublesome for me to think of our time together as a date. Then again, Temari's as troublesome as they come.

I shuffled through my closet as I sipped on my ritualistic cup of coffee, searching through my attire with a groan. When the hell did I get this many clothes? So many different tops and pairs of pants…so many different combinations. For some reason, my mind darted to Naruto. What would that dumbass do in this situation? He clearly has a crush on Sakura, so given the opportunity, would he dress to impress? The thought of Naruto adorned in a tuxedo with a white lapel and black shades was too much for me, and liquid spewed out of my nose and mouth all over my clothes as I burst out laughing. Well, now those are definitely out.

"Shikamaru! Wake –" My father dropped the cask of water he was holding to the ground in shock as he beheld me, still in my sleeping shorts and shoulder length bed hair. "You…you're awake!" He exclaimed, genuinely surprised.

I rolled my eyes in irritation. "You don't gotta act like it's a freaking miracle," I muttered. Dad's eyes darted from me to my open closet and a sly grin spread over his face.

"So…who's the lucky lady?" Now it was my turn to drop the liquid in my hands to the ground as I stared at him flabbergasted.

"What the hell are you talking about?" I feigned innocence, but Dad merely snorted.

"Shikamaru, never forget who you get your intelligence from. I know when you've been consumed by feelings of love. It's not Ino, is it?"

"None of your business," I snapped as I simply opted for a black T-shirt and black pants. As I put them on, I realized that it was unremarkable in every way imaginable. So much for the hour and a half I pissed away trying to decide on how to dress for this stupid date…

"Shikamaru, you know I can help you." My father got uncomfortably close to me, whispering in my ear as though he was in on a grand secret. I looked him directly in the eyes.

"There is actually something you can do for me."

"Yes?" He asked eagerly.

"Dry up the coffee and water that has been spilled in my room," I said as I darted past him. "I'm late." He sank to the ground disappointed as I ran out of the house, snatching a piece of toast hastily swabbed against some butter, before my mother could protest. As I made my way towards the main part of the village, I took out my notebook carefully. I hadn't heard anything today yet, but no doubt there would be an uproar as I neared the center. My hunch was correct, though it was proven so in an entirely unexpected fashion.

"Dammit, what's the hold up?" I heard the familiar snarl of Kiba Inuzuka as a large crowd of people blocked my advancement.

"Be quiet, brat!" An elderly man snapped at him as the crowd shuffled through slowly. "Damn that stupid prankster!"

I nudged my way up to Kiba. "What happened?" I asked him. He jumped in surprise at my sudden appearance.

"Oh, Shikamaru! Man, it looks like that prankster struck again, except this time, somehow he rigged some mines up around town and anyone who steps on them causes a wave of foam to explode into the streets."

"That's pretty intricate," I said with a frown. I can't imagine a genin having the mechanical knowledge to put such a prank together and successfully release it…but I suppose they could have just as easily been given said devices by a more experienced ninja.

"No joke," Kiba said as the line finally started gaining speed. I threw a sideways glanced towards the unfortunate victims, a trio of young boys who was allowing their mother to fawn over their messy hair with an identical grimace on their faces.

"So what makes you so sure that the prankster is a guy?" I asked.

"Excuse me?" Kiba asked confused.

"You said "he rigged some mines up." He. Why do you think it's a he?" I asked. Kiba seemed slightly unnerved at this, and when I see an even slight giveaway, it immediately registers in my mind as noteworthy.

"Well, think about it. Yesterday, only the girls' bathrooms were targeted. The prankster wouldn't want to get caught in his own trap by rigging the guys' bathrooms, would he? The fact that they were left alone means it is surely a guy right? Plus, this just feels like the kind of prank a guy would find funny…"

"You're right about that," I agreed as I thought back on Naruto. He certainly found it a very funny prank, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's guilty. Furthermore, the prankster could have simply known that I would single out the gender targeted in the previous prank. But wait a moment…my eyes narrowed on Kiba. I had been led to that conclusion. Shit…just how many people were against me?

"Well, I'll see you later, man," Kiba quickly scurried away as people made their way deeper into the village with Akamaru perched in his coat. I watched him leave blankly before I slapped myself in the forehead in exasperation. I had forgotten to get his alibi.

As I walked around town, it quickly became apparent that most, if not all, of the mines had been detonated by this point. People were trotting carefully, inconvenienced, but in no real danger. Since there was still plenty of time till my date, I decided to start looking for genin to interrogate. My first stop: the flower shop.

"Shikamaru!" Ino exclaimed joyously as I walked in. "Where have you been? I haven't seen you since you ditched us to go talk to Asuma!"

"Yeah, I've become a total recluse, haven't I," I muttered ironically. The reality of the situation was that I had probably never been more active with my spare time in my life.

"So, what's up?" Ino asked cheerily.

"I honestly just wanted to check up on you," I smiled with as much sincerity as I could muster. "What have you been up to?"

"Shikamaru…are you feeling okay?" Ino asked me with a hint of concern. She slapped her hand across my forehead and began recommending medical prescriptions that would likely be of use to me. Okay, so I'm a little more transparent than I thought…

"Ino…I'm fine," I reassured her. "I've just been really busy lately and I just wanted to make sure my teammates are doing okay."

"Well…yeah! I've been great," Ino said with a giant grin. "My mom and I have been maintaining our shop and Daddy is in the process of getting a second one opened!"

"A second one?" I asked with an airy demeanor, though I was immediately confused. Why in the hell would Konohagakure need two flower shops? Not that I know anything about flowers…but it didn't add up in my mind…

"Yup!" Ino replied. "We're gonna be importing foreign flowers for this new one. It's an exciting time for the Yamanaka clan!"

"Sounds like it," I agreed. "I bet you would have to put a lot of overtime into opening up two shops. Even waking up early in the morning just to get ready?"

"Shikamaru, they're flowers. Not espionage or assassination. It's not that complicated." Ino said suspiciously. "If you want an early riser, you might want to try Lee. I hear he's been waking up at 4 o'clock every day to train."

The thought of waking up that early gave me a migraine. "Is he insane?" I asked.

"He's extremely happy that Lady Tsunade was able to repair his left arm and leg. Plus, it's a miracle that he didn't sustain further damage after joining the fight against the Oto-nin. Really, what were you thinking letting him come along?"

I scowled. "I didn't know until after it was all over! He wasn't supposed to be there in the first place!"

"Okay, okay," Ino put her hands up in surrender. "Well, I'm gonna get back to work. I'll talk to you later, Shikamaru!"

"Yeah, see you later," I muttered as I headed out the door. If I know Lee even the slightest bit, he is going to be in the forest training.

Sure enough, after a few minutes of running through the forest, I was able to make out the familiar sound of competitive screaming, though only from one guy. As I peered from behind a tree, I beheld Team Guy's familiar training spot. Tenten was throwing weapons at a piece of target paper fastened to a tree while Neji and Lee were facing off. Judging by the way Lee was sprawled out on the ground and Neji was standing over him with his arms crossed, it was safe to say that the fight had already ended out of Lee's favor.

"You really are the greatest, Neji," Lee groaned as he rose to his feet. "Very well! As a punishment for loosing, I will perform 2,000 jump ropes starting right now!"

"That really isn't necessary…" Neji muttered, but he knew as well as anyone that it was no use. Lee had already begun jumping with a nearby rope, conveniently stashed for such a punishment. As he rapidly rounded a hundred, I finally stepped out.

"Yo!" I waved my hand so as not to alarm them, but of course, Neji knew I was there long before I made any noise or movement.

"What's going on?" He asked courteously. Clearly all of the male genin had become more respectful of one another in the aftermath of the last mission.

"I had a question primarily for Lee, but since all of you are here, it can't hurt to ask some more people."

"Shoot," Tenten said, pausing from her target practice to join in the conversation. Lee did not stop his training, but stared at me while he sweated with an intensity that made me feel immensely uncomfortable.

"Whatever you need, I vow to assist you the best I can!" Lee exclaimed. I could swear that I heard the faint syllables of _244…245…246…_as he jumped.

"Look, I'm not gonna beat around the bush with you guys," I said, opting to go with a different information hunting strategy than what I had used on Ino. "The village pranks have been getting out of hand and a lot of people are getting concerned that the perp hasn't been caught yet. Do you guys have any information that could help? I know Lee is normally up early in the morning to train which is why I was primarily seeking him out."

"I haven't seen anyone!" Lee said seriously. Neji hesitated and I saw that there was something he wanted to say.

"Yes?" I asked.

"Well…this is probably obvious to you, but the prankster only strikes when the majority of people are asleep."

"Yeah, I've figured that much out," I said. It had been ritualistic to hear the news of the prank after I woke up.

"I don't know enough about his pranks," Neji said slowly. "It just hasn't seemed important enough to me to keep an eye on. But it seems like he's specifically waiting for someone to fall asleep before he strikes."

I stared at the Hyūga prodigy with wide open eyes. That made perfect sense! There were always at least a few people out and about in the village, regardless of the time. Lee was proof of that. If the prankster is in cahoots with Asuma, then the prankster strikes according to my sleep schedule. But is it necessary that I be asleep, out of the prankster's range, or is there another criterion I am missing? And how the hell does the prankster even know my sleep schedule? If Asuma knows it, I'm disturbed to the max. Then again, I wouldn't put it past my parents to tell him. Dad seemed awfully nosy this morning and Mom DID buy cling film…along with every other possible suspect in this game. Was that to throw me off? So many questions…and it's already Thursday.

"Shikamaru?" I blinked and saw Tenten's hand waving in front of my face. "You okay?" She asked me concerned. "You sort of drifted off there."

"I do that from time to time," I said seriously. "Well, thanks a ton for the information. Let me know if you hear anything unusual."

"Will do!" Lee saluted me as I walked away.

Since it's already Thursday, my best shot is to pull an all-nighter and see what happens. Will the prankster still strike, will something happen if I fall asleep but a ton of other people are awake, or will my constant vigilance be enough to deter another prank? The biggest question: what does it matter? Still, I can't shake the feeling that the answer to this question is of vital importance. I've still got a little bit of time before my date with Temari…I wonder if I can possibly drag it out all night. I should also probably get a miniature camera for surveillance in case she tries anything funny. If she knocks me out or something, I'll have the proof I need.

I looked into my wallet with a sigh. Guess I had better go shopping…what a drag.

* * *

**Author's Note: As I have stated on my profile and in a few other fanfictions, the updates will probably be somewhat limited this summer on account of me being in El Salvador. I will still try to update both of my Naruto fanfictions at least once every two weeks and possibly even sooner if I get spurned into quicker updates by enough reviews. The Prankster Game arc is slowly but surely starting to wrap up, so if I do it properly, I hope that readers will be able to go back and find evidence that points out who the perp is. We aren't quite there just yet though, so just enjoy the ride!**

**Crow**


End file.
